God on the Brain: What Cognitive Science Does (and Does Not) Tell Us about Faith, Human Nature, and the Divine

In this enlightening debut, Sickler, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, examines the relationship between cognitive science and the anthropology of theology and philosophy. Addressing recent studies on evolutionary morality, psychology, neurophysiology, and cognitive science, he asks: “has science made God unnecessary and belief in God obsolete? Is religious belief in conflict with modern science?” He explains the common modern rejection of the idea that humans are created intentionally, challenging these denials with cognitive science research into the concept of the soul (which he argues is the same as “spirit” and “mind”), and pushing against science that “depicts humans as merely physical beings.” Arguing that religion and science can be viewed as partners (as opposed to “strangers”), he uses the writings of classic theologians and philosophers, such as Francis Bacon and St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as contemporary research, such as English theologian Arthur Peacocke’s writings on the mysterious laws of quantum mechanics, to make his points. While Sickler differentiates between beliefs, truth, knowledge pertaining to science, and knowledge of God, he concludes that Christians can “confidently maintain an orthodox biblical view of human nature and the trustworthiness of Christian belief.” Christians interested in the crossroads of faith and science would do well to take a look. (July)